Sunday, August 6, 2023
What Do You Have?
Music
Introit
Hymn #460
Hymn #508
Communion Liturgy
Hymn #526
Hymn #549
Sermon Notes
By Jeff Gilstrap
Scripture:
Matthew 14:13-21Theme:
We offer to the ministry of Jesus our gifts and Jesus takes our gifts and blesses them for the good of the Kingdom. Jesus uses our gifts, no matter how small or large, for great things in this world. All we have to do is take the risk to offer our gifts to Jesus.
Reflections:
Our scripture is one of those that many of us know by heart. We have heard the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 many times in our life of faith. Probably one reason is it is one of the few miracle stories that is found in all four Gospels. At the heart of this miracle is Jesus challenging the disciples. They want to send the people home so they can eat and Jesus says “no”…you feed them. When they push back on Jesus because they do not have enough food, Jesus says bring me what you have which is only “five loaves of bread and two fish”, not nearly enough food to feed 100 people much less 5000. But Jesus blesses “what they have” and the multitude is fed with plenty left over.
This story challenges us to bring to Jesus “what we have” and Jesus will bless “what we have” for the good of this world. We may think we do not have much but that is not for us to decide. We are called to bring our gifts, no matter how small or large, and Jesus will bless them and use them. We all have gifts we can contribute to God’s kingdom. Sometimes the simplest act of kindness can bring transformation into someone’s life. A simple hello or hug to a stranger can be life changing. We never know how Jesus will use our simplest and smallest random acts of kindness. So what do you have to offer? Everything.
Questions:
1. Have you ever been the benefactor of a simple random act of kindness? If so, how did it make you feel?
2. Why do we fear getting involved in Jesus’ ministry?
3. What do you have to offer? What gifts can you bring to the ministry of Jesus?
Music Notes
By Kenneth Jones
Reflections:
Introit: “Take Us As We Are, O God”; the footnotes share that the verses are constructed around the words of communion, “take, bless, break, and share”, and also considers how the “Body of Christ” broken in communion can also refer to the people of God.
Opening Hymn: Our opening hymn is a prayer for healing, “O Savior, in This Quiet Place”. The footnotes state, “As hymns often do, it provides a model for how to pray honestly but not selfishly.
Special Music: My choice this week is not tied to the theme, but instead is piece that been on my mind for the last few weeks. “Give Me Jesus”, arranged by Mark Hayes.
Communion Hymn: “Come to the Table”, our preparation hymn for the year.
Sending Hymn: This hymn is categorized in the hymnal as a Lord’s Supper hymn, but is also listed in the index under Stewardship. After reading the footnotes for the Introit, it struck me when I read the refrain again of “Let Us Talents and Tongues Emply” that “loaves abound” might also be referring to the people of God.
Benediction: For the month of August we will sing “May the Love of the Lord”, an English translation of the Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6:24-26